


All I Want For Christmas Is You

by rednight16



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mild Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28337010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rednight16/pseuds/rednight16
Summary: A self discovery road trip leads to a chance meeting that changes Gueira's life drastically.
Relationships: Gueira/Meis (Promare)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

Small towns really did have a certain feel to them. Gueira was learning that rather quickly with each one he passed through, the feeling in the air so incredibly different from his hometown in Miami. He was used to large crowds, lots of energy and loud music. The close knit communities where nothing ever seemed to happen were jarring, and it made him long for home. 

But Gueira had told himself that he would stick it out until the end of the year, and here he was with about a week left before he could turn around. Pulling his car into the mostly empty lot, Gueira's forehead thumped against the steering wheel. He let out a breath. Wherever he was right now, he'd have to see whether or not it was worth staying before he really committed for at least a few days. Future Guiera will deal with that. Present Gueira just wanted a shower and some food, since he started driving ever since the sun peeked over the horizon.

Newly in possession of a cheap motel room for the night, Gueira pocketed the key to his room before heading back out to his car, ruffling his freshly washed hair and shivering a bit at the cold wind nipping his nose. It was a bit frigid this week, with December in full swing by now. A quick stop at the closest fast food joint sated his hunger, and on the way out he finally noticed the building across the road. A bar? It looked huge, the building lit up with large string lights, a sign illuminated on the roof. The light shone down on the parking lot, glinting off the numerous cars. A full house, then. He felt himself being drawn towards the place and decided not to resist. It had been a while since he'd had a drink anyway.

The first thing that hit him upon stepping inside was the noise. The buzzing of various conversations could be heard over the music blaring in the background, and the warm lighting inside made it easy to look out over the expanse of the place. Christmas lights had been hung strategically throughout the place, giving it a more festive vibe. Movement caught his eye, and Gueira peered past the crowded tables to see what looked like a dance floor. Now that was unexpected. A grin started to creep onto his face as he headed towards the bar, already peering around at the people drinking and chatting. Maybe if he got lucky, he'd find a dance partner for the night.

Working his way to the front, he managed to find a space at the counter to order his drink. The glass slid in front of him a few moments later, and he savored the first sip. Tapping his foot on the barstool in time with the music, he made it about halfway through his drink just listening to the ambiance of the crowd around him, before someone new came to stand right next to his stool.

A curtain of indigo hair obscured the stranger’s face at first, but a tilt of his head revealed dark eyes that made Gueira’s heart stutter. This guy was absolutely gorgeous, and he was smiling. At him.

“I haven’t seen you around before.” The comment broke Gueira out of his reverie enough to nod, scratching at the back of his head nervously.

“Ah, yeah, just passing through.”

"Just passing through? Where are you from?"

"Florida, actually." Gueira took a quick sip of his drink, grinning lightly.

"Florida, huh? What brought someone like you this far out west?" The sly smile on the man's lips had his heart leaping in his chest. "I'm Meis, by the way."

"Oh, uh, Gueira. Nice to meet you."

"Same here." Meis glanced over his shoulder briefly. "Do you like dancing?"

"Is that an invitation?" The least he could do tonight was spend an hour or two dancing with a hot guy, and Meis was definitely his type.

"Maybe. Depends on your answer."

Gueira lifted his glass, gulping down the rest of his drink as fast as he could before sliding it back across the bar and out of the way. “Is yes too straightforward?”

A smile pulled at Meis’ lips. “C’mon.” A hand slid over his own before wrapping long fingers around his palm, pulling Gueira towards the dance floor. Gueira grinned, waiting until they reached a good spot to tug on their joined hands and pull Meis close to him. His free hand fell to a slim waist, keeping their chests pressed together. Meis smiled, laughing softly, His own hand rested just below Gueira’s shoulder, slightly over his heart. After a few minutes he shifted to wrap his arm around Gueira's neck as he rolled his hips in time with the music. Gueira briefly tightened his grip, eyes darkening as his thumb slipped over a sharp hip bone. Meis hummed, fingers digging into the back of his shirt before he turned around, pressing his back against Gueira's chest. His hand slid back along Gueira's neck, brushing over the skin before his fingers twined themselves in the short hair at the base of his skull.

Gueira pulled back in surprise at first, but once he realized what Meis intended he tugged on his waist so they were pressed flush together. His cheek pressed against dark hair as they moved, fingertips brushing over Meis’ stomach briefly as he held him close. A hand on his thigh sparked warmth in Gueira’s stomach, but he didn’t try to push any further just yet.

It was hard to tell how much time actually passed, all of Gueira’s attention focused solely on Meis. The music changed, slowing down as Meis suddenly turned, eyes dark as he pulled Gueira out of the crowd and into a side hallway. He was crowded up against the wall as Meis stared at him intently, hands pressed against his stomach. “Do you want this?”

Gueira gawked at him for a moment before slowly starting to nod, already reaching out to pull him closer. “Hell yes.”

Their lips met roughly, too eager to take their time for anything sweet as Meis moved closer. Gueira pulled him in until their chests brushed, a hand drifting down his side before moving further down. He was met with no resistance, only a quick gasp and fingers winding back into his hair before his breath was stolen again. He squeezed Meis’ ass—which felt as nice as it looked—as the kiss deepened. By the time they separated he was panting, foreheads pressed together as their eyes met.

“D’you wanna go somewhere, uh, private?”

“Yeah.” The grip on his hair disappeared as Meis’ hand moved to the side of his neck. “Come home with me.”

“Shit. Seriously?”

“Mhm.” Meis kissed him again, a thumb grazing Gueira’s jaw. “Is that okay?”

“Fuck, yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

They left the bar in a daze, Meis sucking a hickey into the bottom of his jaw while they stood waiting for the taxi. By the time they stumbled through the front door Gueira was already tugging at Meis’ jacket, trying to pull it off his shoulders and failing. A soft huff of laughter against his lips made him smile, finally managing to push the jacket off, which fell to the ground with a low thump. Hands on his waist slid under his shirt, Meis’ palms moving along his stomach and sides before pulling at the hem. Gueira pulled back and lifted his arms just enough to get the shirt off before kissing Meis again, squeezing his ass once before crouching down and picking him up.

Meis let out a small noise of surprise as he was lifted, before grinning and wrapping his legs around Gueira’s waist. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“Not at all. Which way?”

Laughter trickled over his shoulder. “Turn right. No, left, sorry. Down the hall, second door.”

They managed to make it inside with no incident, Meis flopping down on the bed before reaching up towards Gueira and pulling him down on top of him. Gueira squeezed Meis’ shoulder, nipping at Meis’ lip before pulling back slightly. “You still sure about this?”

Meis nodded eagerly, smiling up at him. “Definitely.”

Gueira smiled back, leaning back down so that he could make Meis fall apart under his hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gueira woke slowly, the sun’s bright rays softened by the curtains draped across the window. His eyes stayed closed for now, letting himself drift within the warmth pressed against his back and across his chest. Eventually that warmth started to move, soft huffs of breath against the back of his shoulder signaling that his partner was waking up. Slowly, Gueira rolled over, staying as close as possible while doing his best not to jostle them too much. Once he was settled on his other side, he was met with a sleepy gaze. Only one eye was visible from where Meis was half-buried in his pillow, a soft smile curling at his lips. 

“Morning.” Meis’ voice was still rough with sleep.

“Morning.” He brushed a few strands of hair over Meis’ shoulder, a smile of his own on his face. “We should probably shower.”

“Probably.” Fingers brushed over his shoulder, leaving goosebumps behind before Meis snuggled back up to him. “But in a few minutes.”

“Ohh, someone’s cuddly.”

“You like it.” Meis started tracing patterns into Gueira’s shoulder. “So...last night was nice.”

“Yeah, it was.” Gueira’s hand settled on the small of Meis’ back, thumb sweeping back and forth.

“I’d like to do it again. But I’d like to get to know you better too.”

Gueira pulled back, surprised. “You...wanna go on a date? After sex? You know it’s usually the other way around, right?”

Meis rolled his eyes, settling back against Gueira’s shoulder. “Of course I know that. But I like you, and you’re interesting. If I didn’t think something was there, I would’ve kicked you out last night.”

“Ohh, that would’ve been mean.” That earned him a knee in his thigh, and Gueira’s resulting groan made Meis laugh softly.

“House privileges. So?”

“So?”

“What do you think?”

Gueira hesitated for a moment, thinking. The sex was really good, and Meis gave off a certain cool confidence that pulled him in. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to try a date or two. If it didn’t work out, he’d be gone after a week anyway.

“Sure, why not?”

The smile he was given left him momentarily awestruck, and when the urge hit he couldn’t resist pulling Meis in for a kiss. A hand cupped his cheek, thumb brushing just under his eye as lips pressed against his. When they separated he sat up, pulling Meis up with him. “Seriously though, we need a shower.”

Meis grumbled a bit, but let himself be tugged into a sitting position. “It can wait a few more minutes…”

“Or, we go now and we can make out in there.”

“...That’s playing dirty.” But Meis swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and stretching briefly. Gueira smirked, taking the opportunity to lightly smack his ass before darting off. Meis yelped, but snorted as he watched him vanish through the door frame. “Wrong way!”

After cleaning up they had to go back to the bar to get Gueira’s car, Meis looking amused at Gueira’s slight embarrassment when they walked up to it. “An old car isn’t a bad thing. It’s better than no car at all, yeah?” Gueira didn’t really have a retort for that, but he did make sure to open the door for Meis.

“Oh, he opens doors for people too?” Meis grinned, starting to laugh as Gueira’s ears turned red.

“I’m trying to be polite, here!”

“And it’s very sweet, you’re such a gentleman.”

Grumbling, Gueira started the car. “So where are we going again?”

Driving directly through town gave Gueira a very different view than the one he'd had the night before. Christmas lights were strung up along the street, with greenery wrapped around the lampposts. Shop windows were decorated with various designs, with one proudly proclaiming itself to be the North Pole, sign and all. Gueira glanced at Meis, one eyebrow lifted. "They take this pretty seriously, huh? Looks like a movie set here."

"Always." Meis smiled. "When I was a teenager it was pretty overwhelming, honestly. But I have a better appreciation for it now."

"This is your hometown, then?"

"Yeah, born and raised. I'm just visiting for the holidays right now, then I'll head back home."

"Where's that, if you don't mind me asking?" They pulled into the parking lot as they were talking, and Meis smiled teasingly.

"So polite. No, I don't mind at all. I live in Promepolis right now, I split an apartment with a friend of mine and his boyfriend."

"Ohh, so you're a northerner now. How's the cold treat you up there?" Gueira laughed as Meis made a face.

"It's the worst. I have a ridiculous amount of blankets and a space heater. That's definitely one thing I'll never get used to."

Meis guided them to a small restaurant nearby, and the smells wafting from inside made Gueira's stomach growl loudly. Sitting down at a booth, they took some time to order their drinks and food before Meis spoke. “So, what are your plans for the rest of your trip?”

“I didn’t really have anything in particular in mind. I was gonna turn around and start heading home after this, gotta go see my folks for Christmas. But I don’t really stop anywhere because I planned to, it’s more about where the wind takes me.” Gueira paused, taking a sip of his drink. “What about you?”

“I’m staying here through Christmas, then heading back home for New Year’s. My parents are out of town for another week, but I wanted to come home early this year. It paid off too.” Meis winked at him over the rim of his drink, and Gueira felt his cheeks go red.

“Yeah, same here.”

They got to know each other better as they ate, mostly sticking to basics until the topic of jobs came up. Meis didn’t even hesitate, fork halfway to his mouth. “Oh, I’m lead guitarist in a band.”

Gueira stared at him for a moment. “...Did you mean that seriously or…?” 

“Yeah, I know, sounds fake right? But I promise I’m telling the truth.” Meis dug out his phone, scrolling through before holding it out to Gueira.

A picture of Meis and three other people stared back at him, a guitar slung over the raven’s shoulder. They looked like they just finished playing, exhilarated and still riding the high of performing. “You look good.”

“Thanks.” Meis grinned, pocketing his phone and taking another bite of food. “We’re starting to get more fans with each gig, so it’s looking better for us. So, what about you?”

Gueira frowned lightly, poking at his food. “I uh, don’t really have anything steady right now. Whole reason I’m out here is ‘cause I was taking time off to think about what I might wanna do.” It was embarrassing to say after seeing how much better Meis was doing.

Fingers brushed against his, making him look up. “Nothing wrong with taking your time. Not everyone’s gonna figure it out early.” Meis’ smile had softened. “So tell me what you like then. What are you into?”

“Other than you?” A smile crept back onto Gueira’s face as Meis’ cheeks pinked lightly. “Well, I like football…”

They ended up sitting in the cafe for over an hour, swapping stories as the sun crept higher in the sky. Meis, eager to show him around town, dragged him off to spend the rest of the day learning the various nooks and crannies of the city. There was a record shop on the street corner that Meis had visited so much the owner knew him by name. The small park with a fountain where he used to play guitar for strangers back when he was a teenager. A sweets shop that sold the weirdest flavors of ice cream, including the one Meis gave him that tasted like sweet potato. Local specialty, he said. By the time they fell back into bed together that night, Gueira was unable to remember any of his original plans for the week.

The days passed quicker than Gueira would have liked, but each one brought more new experiences. Most memorable was their short horseback riding trip, in which Gueira learned Meis could wear anything, including a cowboy hat, and still look incredibly hot. He might be a little biased, but that didn’t matter. 

One night, they even went back to the bar, Meis dragging him out to dance after only a few drinks. Gueira felt his heart flutter every time Meis smiled at him, and if they didn’t get back until 3 am because Meis kept asking for just one more song, that was nobody’s business but theirs.

Waking up the next morning was a slow, gradual process. Gueira was warm, and very comfortable, with nowhere in particular he had to be. So instead of opening his eyes, he let himself drift, snuggling closer to the warm body pressed against his. There was a soft puff of air against his collarbone just before his sleeping partner started to shift. Groaning out in protest, Gueira turned, pulling Meis close again. “Not yet. Too early.”

He was met with a bit of grumbling, the two having to adjust themselves back into a comfortable position before falling still again. Gueira had just started to drift off when two fingers started to trace along his jawline, feather light and just barely grazing the skin. Cracking one eye open, he was met with a pair of sleepy eyes and a sweet smile. “Morning.”

It took a moment for Gueira’s tongue to start working again. “...Morning.” Turning his head, he pressed a kiss to Meis’ palm. “How do you feel?”

“Like we were out til 3 am at a bar.”

“Well, someone kept insisting we stay and keep dancing.”

“You say that like you weren’t having a great time.” Meis leaned forward, brushing their lips together briefly. “You had fun, admit it.”

“Okay, maybe.” Gueira chased after him for a second kiss, lingering just a hair’s breadth away. “This whole week has been pretty amazing.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment to my hosting skills.” Meis nudged their foreheads together as his hand slid over Gueira’s arm. “You’re leaving in two days, right?”

“Yeah, gotta head home. Promised I’d be back for Christmas.” Gueira pressed a kiss just below Meis’ eye, hesitating. He’d been going back and forth about this for the last day or so, weighing his options. He really liked Meis a lot, and even after a week he still felt drawn to him enough that he felt ready to actually consider something long term. 

The question was, did Meis feel the same way enough to make any kind of commitment?

Pushing himself up onto his elbow, his lips found Meis’ temple. “So...I have something to ask you.”

“Hm? What is it?” Meis pushed himself up to match Gueira, looking a little concerned.

“So, I uh...wanted to talk to you about what’s gonna happen after.”

“Oh.” Meis sat up completely, pushing his hair behind his ear. “Yeah, I guess we should talk about that.”

Gueira reached out, squeezing his arm to coax Meis to look at him. “Hey, Meis?” A smile pulled at his lips when Meis looked at him, despite his nerves. “I like you a lot. A lot more than most of the other people I’ve been interested in, and way more than just a fling.” His heart skipped a beat. “I know once the holidays are over it’s gonna be pretty long distance, but...I’d like to try if you’re willing.”

Meis was quiet for a minute, studying Gueira’s face as if he was searching for something. His free hand reached out and touched Gueira’s chest, hesitating before pressing his palm flat over his heart. He looked away before speaking, unsure. “...I don’t know. That's a pretty long distance for a relationship, and we don’t even know when we’ll see each other next. I like you a lot too, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not sure we can build an actual relationship over a phone or a computer after one week.”

Gueira pressed his own hand over Meis’, keeping it against his chest. “I don’t know either. I’ve definitely never done anything like this before, it’s just as crazy and new to me too. But I know I’d regret it if I didn’t at least ask you if we could give it a shot.”

Meis took a deep breath, nodding slightly before meeting Gueira’s eyes again. “Let me think about it?”

“Yeah, of course.” Gueira pulled their hands up to press a kiss to Meis’ fingers. “I don’t wanna pressure you.” He smiled, earning a small one in return. “We should probably get up and eat something since we’re both awake.”

“Coffee first.” Meis pushed himself close enough to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”

The somewhat serious mood passed as they got themselves ready, leaving the house before noon. They were just tired enough that any real activity seemed like too much, so much of the day was spent rather quietly compared to what they’d been up to before. Meis brought him to a new cafe, insisting on paying for their drinks despite Gueira’s protests. The light, fuzzy feeling returned to Gueira’s stomach as Meis ordered for them both, watching eagerly as the cups were set down on the table.

Gueira’s eyebrows slowly went up as he stared at it. “So are you gonna tell me what it is now?”

“Nope, I said you had to try it before I told you.”

It certainly _looked_ like a regular drink. Cradling the cup carefully between his hands, Gueira took a sip. It tasted like...wait.

His expression twisted, Meis muffling his laughter behind his hand as Gueira managed to swallow. “Meis, what the hell is in this?”

“Cayenne pepper.”

Gueira stared at him. “You’re joking.”

“Nope.” A few giggles leaked past the hand still covering his mouth, Meis’ eyes scrunched up from smiling. “Do you like it?”

“Why is there pepper in a _coffee_?”

That set Meis off again, Gueira shaking his head as he set the cup down. The laughter slowly tapered off as Meis calmed down, reaching for the menu again. “Okay, I think I owe you a dessert now.”

Gueira, whose eyes had been tracing Meis’s smile as soon as he’d dropped his hand, made a noncommittal noise. Meis paused, menu laid out on the table. “What is it?”

“Why’d you cover your mouth this time?”

The question seemed to catch Meis by surprise. “Uh...I guess I didn’t wanna be too loud. Why?”

“I like seeing you smile, so you shouldn’t hide it.” A cheeky grin spread across Gueira’s face as Meis immediately flushed red, hiding his face. He was still grinning when their desserts arrived, Meis’ cheeks still burning.

Night fell, and with it came the warmth of lights strung along the roads and rooftops, forming into snowflakes that crested over the sidewalk and road itself. The small plaza held a festive air with a fully lit Christmas tree, and the illuminated sleigh and reindeer gave the whole area a colorful glow. Even after a few days it was still quite the sight, and Gueira’s staring had almost caused him to walk into a pole a few times. Only Meis’ gentle grip on his arm saved him each time, soft laughter making Gueira’s cheeks flush in response. 

A pause in their easy pace gave Gueira time to glance at the man next to him, eyes drifting over Meis’ features. His face was still half hidden by his hair even when it was pulled up into a ponytail, but the obvious smile on his face made Gueira’s heart do a small flip in his chest. Dark eyes met his and it took him a moment to realize he’d been discovered, clearing his throat and looking away. “I, uhm...let’s go this way.” 

He started walking again, studiously ignoring the soft snickering from next to him as they headed off rather aimlessly. His cheeks had almost stopped burning when he felt a gentle brush against his palm, sliding along his skin in a barely there caress before fingers interlaced with his. Gueira stopped short in surprise, glancing down at their hands before turning to Meis. He was watching one of the light displays, seemingly not paying any attention, but the pink in his cheeks gave him away. Gueira’s own cheeks began to heat up again, but he managed a small squeeze of their hands. It seemed so ridiculous for them both to be this embarrassed over holding hands in public when they’d already had sex multiple times, but at least it wasn’t just Gueira making an idiot of himself again.

Gueira felt eyes on him and looked around, noticing a few of the people nearby were looking at something above where they were standing. Glancing up, he found himself holding in a groan. Mistletoe, really? Was this some kind of movie?

Biting his lip, he glanced at Meis, who had shifted a little bit closer so their arms were pressed together. He normally wasn’t one for really sappy stuff like this, but...well. First time for everything, right?

Gueira gently tugged on Meis’ hand to get his attention, turning to face him. “So, uh...I don’t know if you follow this tradition but…” He inclined his head up, watching as Meis glanced up himself. Surprise crossed his face before a smile pulled at his lips, meeting Gueira’s eyes once again. “Is this your way of asking to kiss me in public?”

“I didn’t _plan_ this, but I can’t say this isn’t working out in my favor.” Gueira rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, stepping a little closer. “So?”

Meis started laughing, which made Gueira deflate a bit. “Hey!”

“We’ll work on the romantic stuff.” A hand cupped Gueira’s cheek before lips pressed against his, soft and sweet. Gueira leaned into the touch, his own hand sliding to the small of Meis’ back to pull him closer. 

They separated slowly, lingering as their noses brushed lightly. Gueira honestly didn’t care how many people were nearby anymore, not when his focus was on the thumb smoothing over his cheek in slow strokes. “So...work on it, huh? Are you saying we’ve got more time?”

“Yeah.” Meis squeezed his hand. “I want to give it a try.”

Gueira grinned as his chest swelled with warmth, and he couldn’t help but pull Meis in, lifting him up just enough to spin him around once. He didn’t think he could ever get tired of hearing Meis laugh, especially when he was the cause of it. “Thank you. Thank you thank you _thank you_.” He buried his face in Meis’ hair after setting him back down, arms wrapped tight around his waist still. “I’m gonna be the best boyfriend ever, just you wait.”

A pleased noise drifted up from where it was muffled in Gueira’s neck, making Gueira squeeze him just a little tighter. He’d make the most of this, not just for himself but for the man currently in his arms. He couldn’t wait to give him all the love and attention he deserved.

[](https://twitter.com/999lios)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This includes amazing artwork done by [Kermit](https://twitter.com/999lios) , so please go give them some love too!


	2. Chapter 2

Closing the door behind him as he entered his room, Gueira let out a loud sigh of relief before dumping his jacket over the desk chair. Work had been absolutely exhausting, and while it may be a temporary position, it didn’t seem to stop his boss from working him as hard as possible. Flopping onto his bed, he dug his phone out of his pocket and turned it on, a small smile pulling at his lips at the sight of his lockscreen. He’d taken the picture about two months ago, when he and Meis had been up video chatting late and his boyfriend had fallen asleep, curled up on his side with half his face hidden by his arm. 

It wasn’t quite the same as the real thing, but it was close enough.

Gueira honestly couldn’t believe it had been almost a full year since they’d started dating. After he’d headed home last December, he promised Meis he’d text him as soon as he’d made it back safely. Without really ever planning it they found a routine, video chatting once or twice a week depending on their schedules with daily text messages back and forth, hitting off as well as they had during the week they’d spent together

Then, after about two months he finally met Meis’ roommates, Lio and Galo. He’d heard a little bit about them in conversation, but it was entirely different seeing them interact. Lio he’d recognized pretty easily, as he’d already scoured the internet for any clips of Mad Burnish performing. He definitely had the personality for a lead singer, as Gueira could feel the strength of his presence even through the tiny phone camera. Galo, Lio’s boyfriend, was just as loud and exuberant as Meis has described, though far more sparse in his appearances. According to Meis, his firefighting job kept him out at weird hours, but Gueira could always tell when he was home due to the noise.

Unlocking his screen, Gueira flipped through his feed without really absorbing anything in front of him. He and Meis had agreed to video chat tonight in about five minutes, mostly to finalize their plans for the coming weekend. Their respective jobs had left them unable to meet in person for the entire year—something both of them absolutely hated but couldn’t change—back in July, they’d agreed to make sure that they were able to meet up around Christmas for their anniversary. They wanted to head back to Meis’ hometown again, using their time off to get away and just enjoy each other after being so long apart. Gueira had scraped together as much money as he could muster, still working odd jobs as he hadn’t settled into anything permanent. Every penny of it was worth it if it meant he could see Meis in person again and not just over his phone screen.

Gueira’s phone lit up with a call, startling him out of his thoughts before he scrambled upright. Pulling himself into a better position, he accepted the call with a grin. “Hey, babe.”

Meis looked...tired. More tired than usual. Gueira had only seen him like this after work got crazy and he was running on almost no sleep for a few days in a row. But the last time they’d talked about work, Meis said that everything was going well. Smile slipping into a small frown, he spoke softly. “Hey, you okay?”

“Gueira...I’m really sorry. I’m not gonna be able to make it this weekend.” Meis couldn’t even look at him as he said it, eyes focused on his lap.

“...You can’t be serious. We’ve been talking about this for weeks. We leave in two days.” A note of disbelief crept into Gueira’s voice unbidden.

“I know, okay? I didn’t exactly plan for this. Lio got _really_ sick, bad enough that he needs someone here to watch him. Galo can’t be around this weekend because he’s got a mandatory shift, so I have to stay.”

“There’s no one else that can take over?” Gueira was desperately clinging to the scrap of hope still left, but the look on Meis’ face said everything before he could say it out loud.

“You know that if there was I wouldn’t be telling you this. This is the last thing that I wanted to happen, I wanted to see you too.”

Gueira sat back, head thumping against the wall as a swell of emotions built in his chest. “This is such bullshit.”

“We’ll just reschedule-”

“To _when_ , Meis? After this weekend when do either of us have any more time off? Are we gonna have to wait _another_ year before I can possibly see you in person?”

Meis went quiet, and that should have been Gueira’s cue to stop, but anger was burning white hot in his chest and clouding his thoughts. “How the hell is this supposed to keep working if our entire relationship is over the phone! What’s the point!”

“...You said you understood.” Meis’ expression twisted with hurt. “You told me you understood that my job was hectic and that the distance was something we could work around. You told me it didn’t matter when I said how much I hated being so far away from you, because _you loved me and that was what was important_.”

The anger fizzled out as quickly as it came, something hard and cold sinking into Gueira’s stomach as he saw Meis’ eyes start to get wet. Meis _never_ cried, not once since they started dating. His boyfriend’s voice cracked as it steadily raised in volume.

“If being in person is so important to you, then we both just wasted an entire year on a relationship that wasn’t going to last. You were the one that asked to take this further, not me! You brought me into this, and when things didn’t work out your way you’re just going to leave?!” Meis shoulders trembled slightly, visibly hitting his breaking point. “You told me you loved me! I believed you!”

Gueira sat frozen, watching as Meis tried to collect himself and failed miserably. “...Meis, I-”

“Goodbye, Gueira. Enjoy your holiday.”

“Wait—!” The call ended with a soft noise, the screen going dark as Gueira stared at it. Shit. _Shit_. Of all the times for him to put his foot in his damn mouth, it had to be now.

Shaking fingers managed to pull up their messages, hovering over the keyboard for a long moment before slowly starting to type.

> ~~**Babe** ~~
> 
> ~~**Listen, I** ~~
> 
> ~~**Meis, please** ~~ ****
> 
> **Meis, I’m so sorry. I was just frustrated and it got out of control, but I never wanted you to think I wanted to break up with you. I do love you, so much. I’m sorry.**

Hitting send, Gueira sat and waited for the notice next to the message to change to delivered. When it switched to read, his breath caught in his throat. A minute passed, but no response came through. Lowering his hand into his lap, Gueira chewed on his lower lip anxiously as he waited. Two minutes passed, then three, then five, all with no reply in sight. Letting his phone slip out of his hand to land against the blanket, Gueira ran a hand through his hair. “...I really fucked up this time, didn’t I.” 

There was still no reply by the next morning, Gueira’s eyes aching from staring at his phone for half the night. He somehow made it through work, not remembering a single thing that happened his entire shift as his eyes kept drifting to where his bag was kept. By the time he got home his stomach had twisted itself in such a bad knot that the idea of dinner made him feel nauseous, barely getting anything down before giving up and heading into his bedroom. Opening the message app for what must have been the 50th time that day, he typed a second message.

> **I know you’re probably still really mad at me, and I deserve it, but can we talk? Please?**

As with his last message, the notice changed from delivered to read, but there was silence on the other end of the line. Gueira flopped back onto his pillow, tears starting to sting his eyes. He really was pathetic, wasn’t he? No career, no idea what he even wanted to do, and now he’d just completely ruined the one good thing he’d had in his life. Slowly pulling himself back up, he stumbled out of bed and started heading towards the kitchen. Getting drunk sounded really good right about now.

Waking up the next day started off with Gueira’s head in his toilet, truly the icing on top of the foul cake that had been the last day and a half. Rinsing out his mouth, he stared at his reflection, terrible hangover written all over his face, and scoffed. “Idiot.”

Shuffling back into his bedroom, his eyes fell to the duffle bag sitting near the doorway, packed and ready to leave. He’d gotten everything together early, not wanting to rush at the last minute and potentially forget something before driving hours away. He could see the bump in the fabric where Meis’ present sat on top of his things, and he tore his eyes away.

He slumped back onto the bed, automatically reaching for the phone sitting innocently by his pillow out of habit. His notifications showed no new messages, and Gueira’s heart ached when he looked at his lockscreen. Sitting hundreds of miles away left him with very few options for trying to fix any of this if Meis wasn’t going to answer his messages, but the idea of continuing to sit around and wait without being able to _do_ anything was wearing on Gueira’s patience. If they lived closer, he could’ve just driven to Meis’ apartment and said sorry in person—

He paused, glancing back at the duffle bag before turning to his phone again. Meis had given him his address a while ago so Gueira could send him a present for his birthday, and he still had it saved. If he left by this afternoon, he could make it to Promepolis by tomorrow night.

Shoving himself off his bed, Gueira threw some clean clothes on his bed to wear before heading to the shower. He needed to get a few things before he could leave, which meant he needed to go out now. The plan was insane and barely thrown together, and had a really good chance of completely backfiring on him, but it also might be his only chance to fix it.

The drive to Promepolis was long, and holiday traffic didn’t help. Gueira found himself cursing under his breath at every stretch of road he came across that slowed down, tapping his left foot irritably as he glanced at the time. How long would it take him to get all the way there at this rate? He didn’t even have any guarantee Meis would be at his apartment, possibly running errands or something unless Lio kept him there. Would he even agree? Would he even answer his messages? Groaning, his forehead hit the top of the steering wheel as he sucked in a deep breath. 

He had to at least try.

The more his mind wandered, the less he was able to distract himself from their last video chat. How worn and weary Meis looked. The heartbroken expression on his face when Gueira snapped at him. If nothing else, he had to apologize. There was a chance that Meis would break up with him anyway, but it was okay so long as he knew Gueira was sorry and that he loved him. 

Two hours away from his destination Gueira had to give his legs a break, so he pulled into the closest rest stop he could find. Sitting in the driver’s seat with the door open, legs hanging out against the cold breeze, he thumbed his phone. Lio’s contact stared back at him, and the unknown taunted him further. He might not answer. Hovering over the call button, he found his hand trembling just a little. The lump in his throat threatened to swallow his voice as he finally found the power to hit call, forcing the phone up to his ear with a jerk of his arm. 

Ten long, painful seconds later, the call connected, the voice on the other end hoarse. “...Gueira?”

“Lio? Uh, hi. I’m ah, I’m sorry to call you like this but I have a favor to ask…”

“What could you possibly want from me?”

 _Ouch_. Lio’s tone was calm, but it couldn’t quite cover the irritation that was beginning to leak out. Gueira took another breath, willing his hand to stop shaking. “Listen, I know you probably heard about what happened, and I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt Meis like that, I never wanna hurt him. I just—I was surprised, and my temper got the better of me and I just—”

“Get to the point Gueira.” The irritation was growing, Lio obviously no longer trying to be polite.

“I’m about two hours away from Promepolis right now. I just...wanna apologize.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Gueira almost pulled away to see if the call disconnected before Lio spoke again. “You still have our address, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“You better get here by the end of the night.”

“I will, I promise.” 

The call ended with a soft click, Gueira staring at his phone before dropping it back on the center console. Leaning down, he gave his legs one more good stretch before tucking himself back into the car. Time to get moving again.

The next two hours felt like they dragged even slower than the beginning of the trip, but Gueira forced himself to stay on the road and not take any more breaks. If he kept stopping, it would take even longer to get there, and he’d left Meis waiting long enough.

The sign for Promepolis pulled some weight off his chest, just long enough for him to actually make it into the city and find somewhere to stow his car. Pulling his jacket tighter, he made his way out onto the street. The light snowfall had begun while he was still on the road, and continued as he began to walk. The cold felt as if it was seeping into his stomach, negating any of the relief he’d felt on the way in. By the time he found the right apartment building, his stomach had twisted itself into such a horrible knot again that he felt nauseous. When had he ever been this scared to talk to someone? Had he ever been this scared to talk to someone?

Gueira didn’t remember the walk into the building, or the elevator ride up. He vaguely registered the numbers on each door, stopping in front of one. His focus seemed to snap back into place as he stared at the painted digits, fingers curling into his palms to try and stop their shaking. His breath stuttered slightly in his chest as he sucked in, blowing it out quickly before raising a hand. His knuckles were barely an inch from the door when he hesitated, arm frozen. 

Did he genuinely, actually believe that this would work out, like some stupid story from a book meant to make people feel better about their chances? Life had never worked that way for Gueira, so why should he believe this time was any different?

His fingers brushed against his phone currently buried in his pocket, slowly fishing it out and turning on the screen. Gueira’s lockscreen, still set to the same picture of Meis he’d taken months ago, stared back at him. 

Shoving the phone back into his pocket, his shoulders rolled back, fingers tightening in their fist as he knocked sharply twice.

The faintest shuffle of movement could be heard beyond the door, and the low murmur of voices followed. Footsteps grew closer, and the click of the lock sent Gueira’s heart racing. When the door swung open, he forgot how to breathe.

Meis stared up at him, a question dying on his lips as he realized who it was. There were dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept properly in days. His hair was tied up in a messy bun, starting to tilt to the side as it loosened. The long sleeved shirt and lounge pants were both loose, making him look both comfortable and rumpled at the same time. He was still absolutely beautiful.

“...What—”

“Before you say anything, please just hear me out.” Gueira took a step closer without realizing, arms folded against his stomach to keep himself from doing something stupid like reaching out for his boyfriend. “I’m sorry, Meis. I really fucked up, and I got angry when you didn’t deserve any of it but you got all of it, and it really wasn’t fair to you. I just...I missed you _so much_. No phone call or video chat compares to having you with me. So...I decide to come to you. At least to apologize, if nothing else. So...I’m sorry.”

Meis hadn’t moved at all since opening the door, eyes wide as he listened to Gueira speak. Gueira ducked his head, cheeks starting to grow hot from embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head. “So...yeah. Uhm. I’ll just—”

He had no time to react before two arms were thrown around his neck, pulling him close until there was no space left. “I’m still mad at you.”

The pressure in Gueira’s stomach released as he returned the embrace, burying his face in Meis’ hair. The cold nose digging its way into his neck made him shiver slightly. “Not surprised. I was an asshole.”

“Yeah, you were.” The arms around his neck tightened briefly, squeezing before Meis pulled back enough to look at him again. “Just means you gotta make it up to me.”

“...So you’re not gonna break up with me?”

Meis flicked his nose. “No, I’m not gonna break up with you.”

“Hey!” Gueira grumbled at the slight pain before lips pressed against the spot, making him pause. “Oh.”

Meis smiled softly, tugging Gueira into the apartment and shutting the door. “How long do you have here?”

“As long as you want me here.”

Meis’ grip slackened before his hands trailed over Gueira’s arms, warmth seeping through the jacket. “What if I wanted you to stay for a long time?”

Gueira’s own hands pressed against Meis’ sides. “Then I’ll stay. Got making up to do anyway.” 

“Your job?”

“Don’t worry about it, our last day was before I left, remember? So it’s all good.” His hand slid into his pocket briefly, clasping around the object shoved in hastily before he’d left his car on a whim. “So, this is really cheesy but I was planning it for a while, so…”

He raised his arm, holding the object above their heads. Meis glanced up, smile brightening at the sight of the mistletoe. His fingers slid along Gueira’s cheek, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. “Is this your way of asking to kiss me?”

“Yeah. So…?”

A slight tug pulled Gueira forward enough that their lips met, and something seemed to click into place inside his heart. God, he’d missed this so much. When they separated Gueira tried to chase after him, Meis smiling against his mouth. “I’m not going anywhere, we’ve got time now.”

“Doesn’t matter. Haven’t gotten to kiss you for a whole year.” His kisses migrated to Meis’ cheek and up to his temple, his boyfriend nudging his shoulder.

“Stop, I’m so gross right now, I haven’t even washed my face and I look awful.”

“It’s literally impossible for you to look awful, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

The soft noise Meis let out in response made Gueira snicker, which earned him a light slap on the shoulder before a hand found his. “C’mon, we can’t stand in the doorway forever.” He was guided to a couch, Meis pushing him down.

Gueira immediately waggled his eyebrows. “Ooh, I didn’t think we were gonna get to this part so soon.”

Meis’ cheeks flushed despite his playful scowl. “You wish. You’re gonna sit there and wait patiently while I go shower, and then you’re gonna start making it up to me by helping me take care of Lio and clean up around here.”

“...Will I get to kiss you more too?”

“If you help.”

Meis turned to walk away but stopped when Gueira grabbed his hand, squeezing gently. “I love you. Thank you for giving me a chance to fix this.”

Meis’ expression melted into something soft, squeezing back before leaning over him to kiss the top of his head. “I love you too. So much. I was gonna text you tonight to talk, but obviously you beat me to it.” He smiled before letting go, walking away and heading down the hall.

Gueira leaned back against the couch, a grin pulling at his lips. Lifting his arm, he held the mistletoe that was still clutched in his hand up so that the glitter sparkled in the light. 

Christmas was beautiful that year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed!!


End file.
